Advancing Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity

As part of the University-wide strategic plan’s commitment to transformative education, Penn State establishes four planning goals related to inclusion, equity, and diversity:

1. Foster a culture of respect and inclusion that values the experiences and perspectives of faculty, staff, and students;
2. Develop and implement curricula and scholarship that interrogate social issues and inspire social responsibility;
3. Evaluate and rectify organizational structures, policies, and practices that cause differential impact and limit access and opportunities for faculty, staff, and students at Penn State; and,
4. Recruit, support, and advance a diverse student body, faculty, and staff.

Inclusion, equity, and diversity are central to Penn State’s obligation and commitment as a public institution of higher education to provide effective teaching for all people in our communities—from our Commonwealth, from across the United States, and increasingly from around the world. Students, faculty, and staff rightfully demand that Penn State demonstrate its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all of its campuses and in all aspects of the University including, and not limited to, research, student learning, co-curricular engagement, workplace environment, and community outreach.

Inclusion refers to the respectful treatment of all people with recognition for the multiplicity of identities and perspectives present in a diverse community. Equity requires attention to disparate impact, differential access and opportunities afforded to various communities, as well as structural and systemic barriers that limit potential and possibilities. Diversity refers to the numerical representation of faculty, staff, and students who hold different social identities, backgrounds, and experiences.

We will incorporate inclusion, equity, and diversity assertively into our research, teaching, learning, outreach, assessment, operations, and decision making at all levels of the University. We will foster and sustain an environment of respect and inclusion for faculty, staff, students, and members of the communities we serve; creatively provide programs and environments that embrace diversity that promote the acceptance and valuing of differences; be steadfast in our efforts to ensure equitable access to our facilities, programs, resources, and services; and advance our workforce by attracting and developing talented faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds.